Residential
DESIGN
POLICY
POLICY OUTCOME
The Residential Design Policy includes Policy
Outcome statements, which are to be achieved by
new development.
The Policy Outcome statements will:
A) encourage residential development which is
compatible with and which enhance the City's
urban character and amenity, and which
minimises environmental impacts;
Adopted by Council 12 December 2011
This Policy outlines the City of Boroondara’s
expectations with respect to residential
development.
POLICY APPLICATION
The policy builds on and complements ResCode
provisions in Clause 55 of the Boroondara
Planning Scheme. Development is also required
to respond to other relevant sections of the
Boroondara Planning Scheme, including the MSS
and Local Policies.
For more information please contact the
Boroondara Statutory Planning Department
on 9278 4888
The Policy Outcome statements and the Policy
Standards must be used to inform design
responses for the following residential
developments:

These provisions will not apply to apartment style
buildings.
B) ensure that new development is site
responsive and designed to a high standard,
and that creative and innovative design
solutions are encouraged to prevent the mass,
bulk and scale of the development from
impacting on adjoining properties and, in
particular their secluded private open space;
C) encourage the provision of private open space
that will facilitate the retention of significant
vegetation and allow for the planting of
screening vegetation;
D) provide for the protection of adjoining
properties' secluded private open space from
overlooking, overshadowing and visual bulk;
and
E) ensure that development adjacent to secluded
private open space is limited by the site
context while providing smaller dwellings that
contribute to the diversity of housing stock.
Construction or extension of a dwelling
where:
 There are two or more dwellings on the
lot; and
 The proposed works would create two or
more dwellings on the lot in a residential
zone.
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City of Boroondara
Residential Design Policy
December 2011
POLICY STANDARDS
The Residential Design Policy includes Policy
Standards. These standards provide guidance on
how a development may contribute to achieving
the Policy Outcome statements.
A standard should normally be met. However, if
Council is satisfied that an application for an
alternative design solution meets the Policy
Outcome statements, an alternative design
solution may be considered. The standards are:
1) FRONT SETBACK
The proposed front building line setback should
be a minimum of the average of the setback of
existing buildings taken from four properties
either side of the site and nine properties opposite
the site, or 9 metres whichever is lesser. Corner
properties should follow Res Code requirements.
2) SIDE AND REAR SETBACKS
The diagram (right) indicates the side and rear
setback standards. In this Policy these are
referred to as the Boroondara Backyard Setback.
The 'ResCode' setback requirements in Clause 55
of the Boroondara Planning Scheme will apply
where they provide for a greater setback than
required under this Policy.
The Backyard Setbacks are to be applied where a
proposed development is adjacent to neighbouring
secluded private open space (as defined in the
Private Open Space section of this Policy). The
Backyard Setbacks are:


2.0 metres from the boundary (when not
within 0.15 metres of a boundary) up to a
height of 3.6 metres
2.0 metres from the boundary at 3.6 metres
plus 0.6 metres for every metre of height over
3.6 metres
9.0m
BOROONDARA
BACKYARD
SETBACK
6.9m
L
O
T
B
O
U
N
D
A
R
Y
3.6m
2.0m
NTS
4) WALLS ON BOUNDARIES
Where a proposed dwelling is adjacent to the
secluded private open space of an adjoining
dwelling, a new wall constructed on or within
0.15 metres of a side or rear boundary must be
limited to a total length of not more than 7.0
metres (including the garage) on that boundary.
For other parts of the development (not adjacent
to neighbouring secluded private open space) a
new wall constructed on or within 0.15 metres of
a side or rear boundary will be considered using
the relevant clauses of the Boroondara Planning
Scheme, including Clause 55.04-2. These wall
length controls must include any wall lengths on
the boundary adjacent to the secluded private
open space of an adjoining dwelling.
5) BUILDING FORM, BULK AND
SCALE
A unique design response is required for each
development and must respond to the site's
context, including:
 urban character,
 significant landscapes,
 neighbouring habitable room windows,
 variations in natural ground levels,
 siting of neighbouring buildings,
 siting of secluded private open space.
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City of Boroondara
Residential Design Policy
December 2011
The visual bulk impact of development on
neighbouring secluded private open space should
be minimised. This can be achieved by a
combination of:
 smaller dwellings;
 greater upper storey setbacks;
 limited continuous wall lengths;
 articulation and variation of setbacks,
openings, roof form and materials;
 the screening of roof top plant equipment or
plant located within the roof space of the
proposed dwelling;
 screen planting (supported by a 2 metre
ground floor setback);
 extent to which secluded private open space is
actively used; and
 variations to the standards where it reduces the
impact on the neighbouring secluded private
open space.

The scale of new development should respond to
the prevailing building scale of the area, and
incorporate building heights, roof forms, roof
pitch and building mass found in the immediate
locality.

In general, new development that includes more
than one dwelling should achieve the following:
 Ensure that a balanced combination of
building modulation and façade articulation
and detailing is provided to achieve visual
interest and richness. This can be achieved
through the following techniques:
o Breaking down the building into smaller
components to highlight various sections
such as the building base, middle and
top.
o Providing adequate setbacks to various
sections of the building as needed and in
proportion with the corresponding
building height.
o A balanced mix of recessive and
projecting
elements
within
the
composition.
o Variation to façade surface alignment,
complemented by variation to materials,
finishes and textures.
 Avoiding symmetrical presentation where this
is not a preferred character feature.

Limit overall building height. This can be
achieved by stepping buildings with the slope
of land, reducing floor to ceiling heights and
increasing excavation.
Avoid overly exaggerated façade elements.
In areas where single storey dwellings have been
identified within the Residential Urban Character
Study (1996) as having a very important
contribution to urban character preference will be
given to attic style or similar solutions for
developments of more than one storey.
The first floor should be:

Located and designed to minimise the
overlooking and overshadowing of backyards
or secluded private open space;

Located and designed to minimise the
building bulk as viewed from backyards or
secluded private open space;
Designed to minimise straight wall lengths
and increase articulation where it is adjacent
to backyards or secluded private open space;
 Stepped back from the ground floor where
adjacent to sensitive interfaces such as
adjoining private open space and habitable
room windows to avoid the presentation of a
single building plane to these interfaces; and
 Stepped back from the ground floor when
facing a street to provide an appropriate
transition where there is a difference in height
with adjoining dwellings.
Side by side development is generally appropriate
where it is the predominant urban character of the
street. Where side by side development is not the
predominant urban character of the street, it may
be considered an appropriate design response
where it complies with this Policy, including the
following standards:
 The design would reduce the impact on
neighbouring secluded private open space
compared to multi-storey development in the
backyard;
 The design responds to the predominant urban
character of the street (including bulk, roof
form and side setbacks);
 The design response is sensitively and
carefully detailed to read as one dwelling
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City of Boroondara
Residential Design Policy
December 2011







within the streetscape without added visual
bulk or mass;
The design provides for solar access to living
areas;
Is not a lot with a rear orientation to the south
as solar access to habitable rooms is poor;
The design provides adequate frontage area for
landscaping;
The design avoids symmetrical presentation
where this is not a feature of the street;
The design minimises the impact of garages
on the streetscape and ensures that garages do
not dominate the front façade, by being
centrally located or stretching across the entire
façade breadth;
The design provides adequate front yard
private open space for landscaping; and
The design provides for at least one ground
floor habitable room that faces the street.
Where such an outcome is unachievable,
ensure that the upper level provides an
adequate level of passive surveillance, through
additional openings and balconies, and that
garages are designed with greater visual
transparency and higher quality material and
visual interest.
6) SITE COVERAGE
The site area covered by all buildings should not
exceed 50% of the site. Hard paved areas
(including building footprint, pathways, patios
and driveways) should not exceed 65% of the site
area. The following will be considered when
assessing variations to these standards:
 The existing site coverage and any constraints
imposed by existing development or the
features of the site.
 The site coverage of adjacent properties.
 The effect of the visual bulk of the building
and whether this is acceptable in the
neighbourhood.
 The capacity of the drainage network to
accommodate additional stormwater.
 The capacity of the site to absorb run-off.
 The practicality of achieving pervious
surfaces, particularly on lots of less than 500
square metres.
 Opportunities for landscaping, particularly
having regard to tree canopy in the area.
7) CAR PARKING
Visitor parking is not to be provided in tandem
arrangements or in car stackers.
8) PRIVATE OPEN SPACE
Dwellings should provide a minimum private
open space area as follows:
Vegetation
Significance
Ranking derived
from Residential
Urban Character
Study
Minimum Private
Open Space
requirements for
dwellings
Secluded Private
Open Space
0 - 2*
50m2
3-4
60m2
Note:
Front setback areas should not be treated as
secluded private open space.
Dwellings should have a minimum secluded
private open space dimension of 5 metres. An
area may have a minimum dimension of no less
than 3 metres, provided that the area occupies no
more than 20% of the secluded private open space
area, or 10m² whichever is the lesser.
Multi-dwelling development with ground floors
are required to have their primary area of secluded
private open space located at ground level.
“Secluded Private Open Space” is defined as that
part of private open space primarily intended for
outdoor living activities that should enjoy a
reasonable degree of privacy (can include spas,
swimming pools, decks and balconies).
At least one (1) canopy tree is required to be
planted in the open space of each proposed
dwelling.
The amount of private open space required may
be reduced where a proposal is located within
400m of public open space.
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City of Boroondara
Residential Design Policy
December 2011